The morning of the funeral, Ryder’s parents had flown into England. Ryder’s mum was originally from England and so most her side of the family made the journey to Ragon’s estate also. Ari couldn’t make eye contact with the temporary parents who had given her up. It was hard for her to hug them and tell them how sorry she was, not without feeling an odd sense of disappointment and guilt.
As the funeral goers arrived, Bramond, the old man who tended the Young estate, directed them to the cemetery. He alone seemed happy; the return of his master had given him an unnatural glow which he failed to hide from the rest of the mourners.
Ragon had commissioned a large white marble tomb to be made for Ryder. Atop it was the image of a male angel. His large wings were furled outwards, and he was crouching down on one knee, looking up at the sky. It was only when Ari stared at the statue, that she realised that the face of the angel was carved to resemble Patrick.
“It’s beautiful… Ryder would have loved that,” Ari mumbled, squeezing tightly onto Ragon’s hand before bursting into tears.
All through the service Ari cried. She tried hard to weep silently on Ragon’s shoulder, feeling undeserving of the grief that taunted her. Though Ragon provided enough support, she would have liked to have had her brother there also. Jamie had not attended the service. Being a newly made fledgling, he had not wanted to risk being around humans just yet, and so had remained in the house. It was odd that after so long a time separated and all that they had been through, Ari felt such a strong pull towards her brother. There were still gaping holes in his past, holes that Ari suspected he wasn’t ready to talk about yet, but the pair had bonded almost instantly.
When finally Ryder’s casket was lowered into the ground in front of the tomb, Ari stopped crying. In true English fashion, the rain had begun to pool in the heavens and cascade over the mourners, as if mocking their tears. Clyde stood next to Riley who was nursing Rya, holding a large black umbrella over the pair, shielding them from the rain while letting himself get soaked, apparently too desperate to ensure they remained untouched by the weather. Thomas had offered to act as the priest, which given his Christian background, Ari thought was fitting.
“I commit you to the earth my son,” Thomas said, reaching for some muddy soil and sprinkling it atop the casket.
This action was mimicked by the rest of the mourners. Ari watched as one by one, each of Ryder’s family threw earth or flowers into the grave. Then the coven members said their goodbyes and soon it was only Ari and Ryder’s parents left. Ari walked slowly up to Ryder’s grave and knelt down. The grass was wet, cushioning her knees as the water soaked through her black dress. Slowly she reached into her coat and retrieved something. For a moment she stared at the torn and folded photograph she had of the coven. Her eyes glided past Larissa and Cambridge and rested on Ryder. He was grinning in the image, his large dimples standing out drastically as he held hands with Patrick.
“Forever my family,” Ari whispered, letting the image catch with the wind and gently fall down onto the casket, where the first brother she had ever known now lay. “Forever my brother.”
After that Ari stood and made to move back to the house, where the wake was being held. As she did so, her eyes fell on the silhouette of someone standing in the shadows of the freshly built tomb. She squinted at them, trying desperately to see past the thick rain droplets that were clinging onto her eyelashes. Soon her eyes widened in realisation; it was Patrick. Instantly she raced over to him, glancing once at Ryder’s parents, who were hugging each other in front of the grave, unaware of Patrick’s presence.
“Patrick,” Ari whispered, careful not to be heard.
“Hello Ari,” said Patrick, moving to tip his hat, so that a thick stream of water filled the gap between them.
“Are you ok?” she asked, reaching a hand out to touch his shoulder kindly.
“I heard about what happened at the Pasteur Institute. I can’t believe that the Ancients tried to take over! But I guess, in a way its good. Now that they are dead, there is chaos amongst the Elders. I think it will be safe for me to return; a rogue blood hunter is the last thing they will be concerned with right now. As usual, it looks like Ryder was right about me. I haven’t attacked anyone yet. Is he very mad at me? Well, he should forgive me now that I can be with him. Ragon certainly has put on a show of his funeral. We always said that he would have a funeral over here. Ryder is doing such a good job of pretending to be dead. I guess he wanted to go all out. Even your grief looks real.”
Instantly Ari’s heart broke; Patrick didn’t know that Ryder was dead.
“I think I can keep the curse under control,” Patrick added. “That’s if Ryder will have me again… I don’t know what I would do without him. I was so stupid.”
There was a small smile that spread across Patrick’s lips at these words, but it was quickly stifled by the look of horror on Ari’s face.
“Ari, what’s wrong?” he asked, now looking from her and over to where Ryder’s parents retreating backs were walking towards the house.
“Patrick, when we were battling against the Ancients… Lace, she…”
“She what?” said Patrick, now moving over to Ryder’s grave, a disbelieving look on his face.
“I’m so sorry.”
But Patrick was no longer listening. He had jumped into the freshly dug earth of Ryder’s grave, and was just about to force the casket open, when someone jumped down next to him.
“Patrick don’t!” said Ragon, reaching for Patrick’s hand and trying to pull him away. “You don’t need to see him like this.”
“Don’t touch me!” Patrick screamed, and his eyes were alight with malice and hatred. “Get away. It’s not true… it can’t be.”
Ari watched in horror as Patrick threw his shoulder into Ragon’s body, throwing Ragon out of the grave and onto the grass above. Whether Patrick liked it or not, he was a blood hunter and that made him stronger than most vampires. If he wanted to, he could easily kill Ragon.
“Please, Ryder wouldn’t want you to remember him like this,” said Ari, just as a new wave of tears began to spoil her face.
At these words Patrick hung his head. For a moment he remained with his outstretched hand against the marble of the casket, and then he jumped out of the hole and raced away. Ari and Ragon saw him pause atop a hill, just as a loud scream rolled down to where they stood. It was a cry filled with a lifetime of grief.
“I’m going to go after him,” said Ragon, making to move in the direction Patrick had taken.
“Wait,” said Ari, reaching for Ragon and holding onto his hand. “He’s mourning; let him be.”
Ari knew that nothing would take away Patrick’s heart ache. Losing someone that you loved would always hurt, and that pain would not go away, no matter how many people tried to make you forget. As she held tightly to Ragon’s hand, she wondered whether holding Ragon back was the right thing to do, but then she thought that if the roles had of been reversed, she would have wanted to be alone. Only time would heal the hole left in Patrick’s heart.
Slowly Ari and Ragon began to make their way back towards the large house, where the rest of the mourners were gathered for the wake. The rain was spilling down harder than ever and thick curls of fog pushed out from Ari’s warm lips, filling the air momentarily before dispersing into nothingness.
Chapter 23- Soul Mates
A few days after Ryder’s funeral, Ari, Ragon, Chris, Lea and Jamie returned to the Pasteur Institute. Though the last thing that Ari wanted to think about were her end of semester exams, she could hardly put them off, not after everything she had been through to continue her studies. When they arrived at the campus, there was a distinctly different atmosphere amongst Cruor halls. The halls were deserted and silent. Only the vampires who had not been addicted to blood candy remained, but even most of them seemed to be leaving.
“The Ancients are dead,” said April, her suitcase in her hand as she scrambled down the grand staircase.
“But why are you leaving?” asked Ari, after her and Ragon had pretending to be surprised on hearing that the oldest and most powerful vampires in the world were dead.
“It’s not just me,” said April, her eyes falling on another pair of vampires who, like her, were pulling heavy suitcases out of the halls. “Now that they are gone, no one knows what to do… who’s in power? We don’t know what happened.”
“But I still don’t understand why you’re leaving?” said Ari, her eyebrows furrowed.
“Whatever killed them must be seriously powerful,” said April, her face drawn and tense. “No one wants to get on their wrong side.”
After that Ragon and Ari had said good bye to April, and moved quickly up to Ragon’s room on the second level.
“Guess I should pack,” said Ragon, smiling lightly as he looked in wonder at Ari.
“What… why?”
“Didn’t you hear?” he said, moving over to her and taking her by the hand. “There is someone around here with the power to kill the Ancients. I hope I don’t do anything to get on their bad side.”
Ari laughed, unable to stop herself and then fell into Ragon’s arms.
“I love you,” she said, looking up at him adoringly.
“I know,” he replied, and Ari punched him in the arm before he added, “almost as much as I love you.”
Ari let a small smile creep across her face and then she lent down and kissed him. Suddenly there was a knock at the door and Ragon, glaring across the room, reluctantly got up to answer it.
“Jamie,” said Ari, racing over to her brother and hugging him hard.
Though they had only been separated for a few hours since they had arrived back at the Pasteur Institute, Ari couldn’t help but feel relieved to see him.
“What, no hug for me?” said Chris, pushing past Jamie and holding out his arms for Ari.
Ari glanced once at Ragon and then fell into Chris’s arms.
“We just thought we would let you know that we are going to the campus club,” said Chris.
“I’m starving,” added Jamie, rubbing his hands together gleefully.
Ari looked over at Ragon, who seemed to guess what she was thinking and said, “Want some company?”
As the four of them walked over to the campus club, Ari couldn’t help but feel a swell of happiness. Yes they had lost people; yes nothing would replace them or bring them back, but for the first time in a long time, she felt almost normal. She had her brother, she had Ragon and she had her friends. Sure she should be studying for her exams but how could she put off celebrating after what was essentially a lifetime of hiding from the Ancients. No she was free… free to enjoy her life with the people she loved.
When the group reached the entrance to the bar, Ari showed her I.D card to the bouncer then held her arm out expectantly, waiting for the stamp which normally followed.
“Is there something wrong with your arm?” asked Jamie, staring down at her in confusion.
Ari shrugged and walked with a spring in her step, into the club. No longer was there a vampire waiting to brand the unsuspecting students with a stamp that identified them as mortal.
“Who wants a drink?” asked Jamie, and Ari eyed him sceptically. “Of alcohol,” he added, seeing the concerned look on Ari’s face.
“Rum and coke,” she said, beaming up at him.
When the group past the dance floor, Ari was pleasantly surprised to see Lea, though her eyes narrowed when she realised that she was dancing next to Pip. But even seeing the boy who had cheated in cards and won her phone, was not enough to throw off Ari’s glorious mood.
“I’ll be right back,” said Chris, glaring at Pip, as he walked over to where the pair danced.
Leaving Chris at the dance floor, Ragon, Ari and Jamie moved to a free pool table.
“I’m not very good,” said Ari, watching as Ragon put some coins into the machine and waited for the red and yellow balls to appear.
Ragon ignored her, racking up the balls and handing the cue to her, before whispering under his breath, “You’re not good. You are amazing.”
Jamie, who had been standing near the table, let a small laugh reverberate around the room. When Ari and Ragon stared at him, he held up his hands, trying desperately to stifle his laughter.
“Sorry,” he said, now turning to face Ragon, “I just can’t believe that any sister of mine would fall for such a cheesy line.”
Ragon looked as if he were going to protest, but then walked over to him casually and whispered something in his ear. Jamie stood back, looking at Ragon in surprise and then nodded his head.
“What’s going on?” asked Ari, taking her shot and failing to sink any of the balls. “In case you both forgot, but my hearing is regular old human style.”
“You’ll see,” said Ragon, before watching a group of girls walk past Jamie giggling, as they eyed him up and down.
“What’s their problem?” asked Jamie, staring at the girl’s retreating backs. “Do I have something in my fangs?”
Ari stared at him incredulously for a moment and then realised that for his entire life, Jamie had been kept under lock and key with the Ancients.
“Ragon,” she said, turning to face him as she watched him sink a ball expertly into the opposite hole, “do you think you could explain to my clueless brother about the birds and the bees?”
Ragon smiled, showing off his perfectly white teeth, while Jamie stared back at him plainly.
“Just remember not to bite down,” said Ragon, handing the pool stick to Ari.
Jamie nodded slowly, his face a little dazed, and then walked off in the same direction as the girls.
“Don’t bite down?” Ari said, rolling her eyes, “Seriously?”
“Trust me,” said Ragon, sweeping over to her and kissing her, “that’s all he needs to remember. I have been holding his hands for the past few days… he’s ready to be out and about by himself for the night.”
Just then Ari heard someone yelling and she pulled away from Ragon, searching for the source of the disturbance.
“I don’t see what the big deal is,” said Lea, and Ari watched as Chris followed close behind her as they walked past their pool table.
“Do I really have to spell it out to you?” yelled Chris, pulling Lea to a stop.
“We were just dancing. There is no rule that says I can’t dance with someone,” said Lea. “Besides, it’s not like I have a boyfri-”
But before Lea could finish her sentence, Chris had leaned in close and kissed her.
Ari held her breath, watching the two with mingled surprise before Ragon clapped loudly and said, “It’s about time.”
Chris, who was still kissing Lea passionately, gave Ragon the thumbs up and Ragon smiled at him, for what Ari thought was possibly the first time ever.
“Come with me,” whispered Ragon, leaning in close to Ari’s ear and brushing it with his cold lips.
Ari looked back at their half-finished game of pool and shrugged, instantly following Ragon out of the club.
The pair walked back towards Cruor halls in silence. Ari was still reeling after what she had seen happen with Chris and Lea. Not that she was really surprised. She had noticed the way that Chris had started looking at Lea, a look which Lea had returned enthusiastically. Still, there really wasn’t a more bizarre couple, except of course for herself and Ragon, and maybe Clyde and Riley. Hell, who was she kidding? The entire coven was composed of odd couple. At her side, Ari watched as Ragon fumbled with his hands in his pockets.
“Lost something?” she asked, looking at him with concern.
Just then a loud crack sounded from the heavens and rain began to pour down.
“I hope not,” said Ragon, glancing at her strangely, before increasing his pace, clearly trying to get them out of the rain.
“Slow down,” said Ari, jogging to keep up with him. “What’s the rush?”
Ragon sighed, staring from Cruor halls and then back at Ari, an obvi
ous look of indecision in his face.
“I don’t think I can wait any longer,” he said, as small droplets of water cascaded down his face.
“Huh?”
Slowly he reached for her hand, and Ari felt the familiar flutter of butterflies deep down in her stomach that seemed to awaken every time he touched her.
Bound (The Grandor Descendant Series Book 3) Page 37